It is becoming increasingly more common for vehicles to include side airbags that deploy between a vehicle seat and a vehicle door. In some instances, a side airbag is included within a vehicle seatback to deploy forward and provide a cushioned barrier between a seated passenger and an adjacent vehicle door. Frequently, these side airbags are encased within the fabric upholstery material of the seatback, such that upon deployment of the airbag the upholstery material is torn to allow the airbag to fully inflate. This form of deployment may result in inconsistent airbag deployment direction and substantial damage to the vehicle seatback.